• Dr Tim Feeney
• Dr Mark Sherry
• Dr David Manchester
• Derryn Hinch
• Sue Maclellan
• Jelena Popovic
• Pippa Grange
• Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana
• The Hon. Bill Shorten MP
• Hedy Chandler
• Professor Sarah Dunlop
• Professor Alan Mackay-Sim
• Chris Cuff
• Andrew & Robyn Macready-Bryan
• Cath Evans

• Margaret Hamilton
• Dr Michelle Bellon
• Jo du Buisson
• Alison Self
• Kirsten Nield
• Jenna Macnab
• Anne Mangan
• Christine Durham
• Cheryl Koenig
• Brooke Parsons
• Emma Gee
• Martin Jackson
• Lorraine McGrath
• Hugh Hill
• Dr Alice Rota-Bartelink

Dr Tim Feeney

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For the last 15 years, Dr. Tim Feeney has been Project Director of the New York Neurobehavioral Resource Project - a New York State Department of Health grant-funded program developed to support individuals with an Acquired Brain Injury and significant behavioural challenges to live successfully in their home communities. He is also Executive Director of School and Community Support, Inc. assisting numerous United States agencies in the development of system-wide changes in order to provide sustainable, high quality, and cost-effective education and rehabilitation services for people with an ABI.

Over the course of the past twenty years, Dr. Feeney has worked in a variety of capacities in human services including: special education teacher, program director of a state program for individuals with autism, coordinator of educational services, coordinator of behavioural services, staff psychologist, consulting behaviour specialist, and an Assistant Professor of Special Education. He has been responsible for the procurement and coordination of over US$10 million in grant-funded programs serving individuals with challenging behaviours, autism, and persons with brain injury and challenging behaviours. Dr. Feeney has authored over 50 scholarly journal articles and book chapters, is co-author of the book Collaborative Brain Injury Intervention: Positive Everyday Routines, and travels the world speaking to audiences about collaborative supports for individuals with brain injury and challenging behaviours.

In his keynote presentation, Dr. Feeney will provide – by talking to videotapes of his and staff’s work with clients - a framework for the development of behavioural supports for individuals with challenging behaviours that focuses on assessment that is context-sensitive and collaborative and intervention plans that are pro-active and developed to prevent problems from emerging. In addition, positive behaviour supports integrate cognitive and communicative approaches, focus on the integration of meaningful activities in an individual’s daily routine, and, most importantly, are developed with the goal of helping individuals with challenging behaviours learn to regulate themselves.

Dr Mark Sherry

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Dr. Mark Sherry is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Toledo in the USA and an expert on Acquired Brain Injury and on disability advocacy. He has spent many years talking with people with ABI, their family members, friends, disability professionals, brain injury specialists, advocates and others, all around the world. His Ph.D. was on ABI, and he published a book entitled If I Only Had A Brain: Deconstructing Brain Injury (Routledge) in 2006.

In his keynote presentation, Dr. Sherry will describe some of the lessons he has learned in addressing these complex problems - both in terms of his own ABI, and also from many interviews he has conducted both in Australia and internationally (Dr. Sherry is also very happy to speak to people individually throughout the conference). In his presentation, Dr. Sherry will explain that whoever you are, ABI is not something you expect. It is never easy. It’s such a complex experience, associated with many physical, emotional, behavioural, cognitive, and/or personality changes. Also, dealing with various systems (educational, disability, rehabilitation, insurance, etc.) is confusing, tiring, and emotionally draining. Sometimes connecting with other people who’ve been touched by ABI can be life-saving. That’s the best part of an ABI community: when it works, you realise that you are not alone, that others who’ve been through a similar journey can offer a helping hand or some helpful advice. However, Dr. Sherry will identify times when people with an ABI may still feel isolated from others who share the injury, particularly if they aren’t dealing with the same sorts of issues. There are unique issues for children, people from different cultures, people with substance abuse issues, people who have acquired their injuries through violence, people with more than one disability, people in rural areas, people in nursing homes, war veterans, and people with mild ABI. ABI is such a complex experience, that Dr. Sherry believes we need to share our unique and different experiences with each other. But this is only half of the journey. Dr. Sherry believes people with an ABI also need to have an open, honest dialogue with health care and disability professionals. Dr. Sherry’s presentation will identify some of the unique features of ABI which can present challenges for professionals, families and individuals with an ABI. He will identify what works and what doesn’t in the process of responding to the challenge of life after ABI.

Dr David Manchester

Dr. David Manchester is Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist with extensive local and international experience in the assessment and treatment of individuals with an ABI who also experience psychological and psychiatric difficulties. This includes over seven years working as a Clinical Team Leader and Director of Psychology Services in residential and community-based neurorehabilitation. Dr. Manchester has a further ten years experience working as a Clinical Psychologist in community mental health, hospital services and medico-legal private practice.

Dr. Manchester is currently a Director of MLR consulting psychology - a psychology training company based in Sydney. He also consults part-time as Senior Specialist Psychologist with the NSW Department of Aging, Disability and Home Care’s (DADHC) Integrated Services Project for challenging behaviour.

The Hon. Bill Shorten MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services

Bill Shorten is the member for the Federal seat of Maribyrnong in Victoria and Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services. He was born in Melbourne and joined the Victorian Branch of the Australian Workers' Union as an organiser in 1994, and was involved in campaigns that attracted new members to the AWU as diverse as oil and gas workers, fruit pickers, manufacturing workers, netballers and jockeys. Bill became Secretary of the Victorian Branch in 1997, and was elected National Secretary in 2001. Bill has spent his career standing up for working people. Having represented workers from Esso Longford to the Beaconsfield Gold Mine, workplace safety is a key concern. With arts and law degrees, an MBA and years of experience dealing cooperatively with employers, he also understands the needs of the business community. He is a former director of AustralianSuper and the Victorian Funds Management Corporation. Bill is President of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Labor Party(ALP) and a National Executive member of the ALP.

Derryn Hinch

Derryn Hinch is an Australian media personality best known for his work on Melbourne radio. He is a former police rounds reporter, former foreign correspondent, former newspaper editor, former host of national current affairs shows, former novelist, former radio host in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, former Midday host and former jailbird.

Dubbed "the human headline", Hinch is controversial and outspoken; by his own account he has been sacked no less than fourteen times during his career in the media.

Hinch began his career at the age of 15 with the New Zealand Taranaki Herald. In 1963 he came to Australia on the MV Wanganella and joined The Sydney Morning Herald. By 1968 he had become a foreign correspondent for the Fairfax organisation, and finally moved to New York as bureau chief. He remained in the United States for eleven years.

Hinch has his own website www.hinch.net on which he posts daily editorials. It also features his Hungry Hinch restaurant reviews, travel articles, health news and book offers. In 2007 the website had more than three million hits.

Sue Maclellan

Sue Maclellan was appointed Director of Liquor Licensing in May 2005. Sue has worked in a wide range of positions in the public sector in her 30 year career. She was Assistant Director, Operations at the Office of Local Government and Assistant Director, Consumer Services and Compliance at Consumer Affairs Victoria prior to her appointment as Director of Liquor Licensing.

Jelena Popovic

Jelena graduated from Monash University in 1979 with an Arts Law degree and completed a Master of Laws at Melbourne University in 2007.

Jelena’s current delegations as a Deputy Chief Magistrate include: the Co-ordinating Magistrate of the Koori Court; portfolio responsibility for the Criminal Justice Diversion Program; the Enforcement Review Program (which deals with mentally-impaired fine defaulters) and the Court Integrated Services Program which includes the Magistrates’ Court’s ‘Court Support Services’. This is a multi-disciplinary program within the Magistrates’ Court which provides services to address drug dependency, homelessness, youth crime, disability and mental impairment.

Pippa Grange

Pippa Grange is the General Manager of Psychology, People and Culture at the AFLPA. As part of this role she works as a psychologist one on one with AFL players on issues that may affect their lives generally, not just in terms of performance.
She also manages the design and delivery of a number of workshops and educational initiatives that address player health and well-being. Pippa is involved in driving policy and cultural change around player environments and the professionalization of the game. She has a strong interest in ethics and their application in a range of environments.

Pippa is a Doctor of Psychology and has worked both in sports and corporate environments over the last 10 years, including one on work with many athletes and other clients from the general population. She is also a board member for Ladder,
a joint initiative between AFL Foundation and AFLPA to address youth homelessness.

Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana

Mr Fontana began his career in 1975 as a Constable at Russell Street before moving to Port Melbourne and Dandenong Police Stations.

He joined the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) in the 1980s and served as a detective at both Russell Street and Springvale, before being promoted to Sergeant at the Caulfield Crime Car Squad in 1985.

In 1989 he was promoted to Senior Sergeant at the Management Services Bureau where he was involved with a team completing major projects.

Two years later, was seconded to the Spectrum Taskforce, as deputy in charge, which investigated the murder of a teenage girl and a series of abductions in Melbourne suburbs.

He then moved on to Officer in Charge of the Elsternwick Police Station before being promoted to Inspector of the Drug Squad in 1995.

In 1996 he was seconded to Project Guardian for twelve months, which recommended the establishment of the Ethical Standards Department, before returning to the Drug Squad.

He was promoted to Assistant Commissioner in February 2008, taking charge of the Counter Terrorism Coordination and Emergency Management Department.

He is Corporate Sponsor for Drug and Alcohol Portfolio in Victoria Police.

He was awarded the Australia Police Medal in the Australia Day Honours in 2002, and is the recipient of the National medal and 1st clasp, and Victoria Police Service Medal for 30 years dedicated service.

Hedy Chandler

Executive Director
Community Head Injury Resource Services of Toronto

Hedy Chandler is the Executive Director of Community Head Injury Resource Services of Toronto (CHIRS). CHIRS started in 1978 as the first community-based Acquired Brain Injury rehabilitation program in North America. From its origins as a transitional group home, CHIRS has evolved, under Hedy’s leadership, into a multi-service agency that provides a broad range of services to a clientele with diverse and complex needs. Over the past twenty-three years Hedy has spearheaded the development of community brain injury rehabilitation in the City of Toronto and in the Province of Ontario. In her presentation Hedy will describe CHRIS’s involvement in the most radical overhaul of services to people with an ABI ever undertaken in Canada – arguing that the most complex and difficult survivors of ABI had historically received a disproportionate amount of funding and attention from government-funded services at the expense of other equally needy individuals who remain invisible to health care planners. Hedy’s presentation will outline CHIRS’ driving of this review of ABI services in Ontario.

Professor Sarah Dunlop

Professor Sarah Dunlop, National Health & Medical Council Senior Research Fellow, Experimental and Regenerative Neurosciences, University of Western Australia

Professor Dunlop received her PhD in Zoology in 1978 from the University of London and moved to The University of Western Australia in 1979. She has received continuous funding from the National Health & Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) as a career researcher since 1981 and is a Senior Research Fellow of the NH&MRC and Professorial Fellow (Research) at UWA. She has attracted over $12m in research funding.

She has published approximately 100 invited reviews and scientific papers on development and regeneration of the visual system and, more recently, the peripheral nervous system as well as spinal cord injury. The main focus of her basic research is repair of the nervous system after injury using models of neurotrauma, burns injury, eye disease and maternal administration of drugs and the effects on offspring. She also initiated the “Move Again Program”, a Western Australian-based multidisciplinary research team working on rehabilitation to promote recovery after spinal cord injury. She is active in fostering opportunities for Career Researchers and formed the UWA Researchers’ Association of which she is currently Past President. She sits on NH&MRC Grant Review Panels, is a member the Board of the ParaQuad Centre and on the Board of the Australian & New Zealand Spinal Cord Injury Network.

Chris Cuff

For the past 30 years Chris Cuff has provided strategic advice to business and all three levels of Australian Government. For the last ten years, he has been involved in the pursuit of a national no-fault scheme to provide lifetime care for those with catastrophic ABI and spinal cord injury. Chris’ association with ABI goes back to 1986 when he examined the circumstances confronting people with Traumatic Brain Injury in NSW and was centrally instrumental in the establishment of that state’s Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program. In the early 1990s he advised the Motor Accidents Insurance Board of Tasmania on modifying its Compulsory Third Party (CTP) scheme to provide no-fault cover for the future care of people sustaining catastrophic ABI and spinal cord injury. In 2001 Chris was a member of the consultative group advising Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council (AHMAC) on medical indemnity matters. In this role, Chris took the opportunity to introduce a long-term care initiative onto a national agenda. His role developed into managing the stakeholder relations across jurisdictional and professional borders. In 2003, when the responsibility for the long-term care initiative transferred from AHMAC to the Heads of Treasury and its Insurance Issues Working Group he worked with John Walsh from PricewaterhouseCoopers on the evaluation and costing of the initiative. Their report on Long Term Care was presented to the Commonwealth Assistant Treasurer and the State and Territory Treasurers in April 2005. With the renewed interest in the concept at the Commonwealth level he has been advising and working with the Hon. Bill Shorten, the Parliamentary Secretary for Disability and Children’s Services, on the initiative.

Andrew and Robyn Macready-Bryan

Andrew and Robyn Macready-Bryan’s son James was savagely attacked by two men in Melbourne in October 2006. He was left with injuries so severe he now lives in a high care residential facility. His parents established the James Macready-Bryan (JMB) Foundation to provide support for James’ rehabilitation and for others who fall through the gaps in our social support system and find themselves consigned to unsuitable accommodation, with few opportunities to receive appropriate rehabilitation and care. Their Foundation is devoted to the development of age-appropriate residential facilities for young people with an ABI and to the promotion of a risk-awareness education program, particularly targeting alcohol-related violence, but also to the creation of a national disability insurance scheme that supports those who have suffered catastrophic injury, regardless of cause.

Cath Evans

National Practice Group Leader, Slater and Gordon Lawyers

After a nine-year career in nursing, Cath graduated from Monash University in 1992 and joined Slater and Gordon in 1994 where today she manages the firm’s Motor Vehicle Accident Group.

Cath plays an active role in the legal and medical community, including previous appointments as a hospital director, as a committee member of Headway Victoria and as a member of the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) liaison group of the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

Professor Margaret Hamilton AO

Chair, Victoria’s Multiple and Complex Needs Initiative Panel

Victoria’s Multiple and Complex Needs Initiative (MACNI) is a joint project of the Departments of Human Services and Justice, offering a time-limited specialist intervention for around 50 individuals annually who have a combination of Acquired Brain Injury, mental illness, substance abuse, intellectual impairment or forensic issues. Professor Hamilton has thirty-eight years’ experience of work in the alcohol and drug field in a mix of clinical, programme development, management, research, teaching and training, policy development and general public education especially associated with alcohol and drug abuse. Her paper will describe the Initiative’s implementation and – via case examples involving ABI – outline how the Initiative responds to individual need in the context of separated services and competing professional domains.

Jo du Buisson

Jo du Buisson is the Clinical Psychologist in the Brain Disorders Program (BDP) with Austin Health, where she has worked for the last five years. She is one of the team at the Community Brain Disorders Assessment and Treatment Service (CBDATS) – a statewide mobile consultative and treatment service providing support for people with the dual diagnosis of ABI and psychiatric disorders or neurodegenerative disease. Jo is responsible for the behaviour management and psychological support of patients with ABI and challenging behaviours.

Alison Self

Alison Self trained as an occupational therapist in the United Kingdom. For twenty years she has worked in the area of Acquired Brain Injury in the UK’s National Health Service, Social Services and the independent sector. Following her emigration to Western Australia, she has provided the occupational therapy lead in a residential rehabilitation programme for adults with an ABI. Alison is currently working in her own private practice providing cognitive rehabilitation to young children, adolescents, adults and their families.

Kirsten Nield

Kirsten Nield is the Team Leader of the Acquired Brain Injury/Acquired Disability Program at Novita Children Services in South Australia. The service provides a multi-disciplinary service to children with an Acquired Brain Injury and their families. Kirsten has been working for Novita for the past five years - the last three years working specifically with children with ABI and their families. Kirsten has completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Graduate Diploma in Social Science (Rehabilitation Counselling) and, prior to working at Novita as a Family Service Coordinator, she worked in vocational rehabilitation with adults with an ABI.

Jenna Macnab

Jenna Macnab has worked as a government lawyer in the disability and aged care sector for eleven years. Her areas of specialisation have included privacy, contracts and agreements, statutory interpretation, duty of care and legal issues surrounding capacity. Jenna currently works for the NSW Attorney General's Department. Having help complete the "Capacity Toolkit" she is now assisting the Department in the roll out of capacity training.

Anne Mangan

Anne Mangan has worked in the justice sector for twenty years. Anne's passion for equity in the justice system for people with disabilities has led her to be involved in innovative projects such as "So you have to go to court!" - a DVD and resource kit designed for people with cognitives disabilities who are required to attend court - and the "Flexible Service Delivery" training program that enables staff to provide reasonable adjustments for clients with disabilities within the context of mainstream service.

Christine Durham

Christine Durham is the author of “Doing Up Buttons” (Penguin) and “Chasing Ideas” (Finch). She has fought a long battle to recover from a major car accident, which left her injured in brain, body and spirit. “Doing Up Buttons” tells about coming to terms with both the physical and mental trauma of Acquired Brain Injury. The book is recognized as a practical guide to dealing with change in the broadest sense and has proven to be an inspiration to people in Australia, the UK and USA. Christine has spoken widely in Australia and overseas on issues of growing though life’s challenges. She is currently working on a PhD. Her message is grounded in the possibilities and power of thinking and that coping and growing depend on one thing only – on how you think.

Cheryl Koenig

In between caring for her son Jonathan after he was hit by a car in 1997, Cheryl has managed to write three books about the experiences of carers of people with an ABI. She is also a consumer representative on the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Directorate of NSW Health and a carer representative for Carers NSW. Her presentation aims to enhance understanding of the needs of carers of people with an ABI, and share some insights from years of trying to navigate Australia’s health and disability services systems. She will also report on her invitation to present at the recent 5th international Satellite Symposium on Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, held in Brazil.

Brooke Parsons

Brooke Parsons had a major stroke in 1993, aged just 13. She completed her Victorian Certificate of Education in 1998 and has since gone on to further studies. She is a qualified Integration Aide and is studying for an Advance Diploma in Counselling (Grief and Loss). Brooke is an Ambassador for the National Stroke Foundation and in 2005, co-founded the Young Victorian Stroke Support Group. The Young Victorian Stroke Support Group seeks to meet the aims and the wants of young stroke survivors in Victoria. Brooke enjoys living life to the full and making the most of every day (in between attending many medical and rehabilitation appointments). She lives by the motto - "If I am happy, I am healthy and if I am happy and healthy I will be successful."

Emma Gee

Emma Gee was an Occupational Therapist and avid long distance runner when in 2005 at the age of 24 she was diagnosed with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) - an abnormal formation of veins and arteries in her brain. While this abnormality was being removed, Emma suffered a stroke and went into a coma. Three years on, Emma has started a charity organization "Shoestrings", to build stronger support networks for people with a disability. Emma now works for Latrobe University and is doing her Masters in Occupational Therapy. She is also writing a book and runs seminars to share her newfound insights into life as a therapist and patient with others.

Lorraine McGrath

Lorraine McGrath, Assistant Director for Strategic Development, the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH)

Lorraine is the lead officer for the SAMH and arbias international partnership, which has led to the translation and development of key information and training resources focussed on improving the lives of people with Alcohol Related Brain Damage (ARBD) in Scotland. Lorraine and her team managed and organised the 1st International Conference on ARBD, Looking Forward, in Glasgow in 2006 and she has also led the design and development of specialist community based accommodation and support models for people with ARBD, establishing SAMH as the lead agency in the UK. Lorraine has also worked in collaboration with key Scottish Government departments to develop SAMH as the lead agency for both Mental Health Crisis provision and Suicide Prevention Training in Scotland.

Lorraine has worked in health and social care for over 21 years, seventeen of which has been with SAMH, ten of those in a senior management role. Lorraine has a wealth of experience in designing, developing and implementing new mental health, homelessness and addictions services to contract standards within agreed timescales and resources. Lorraine’s qualifications include the MCI Level 4, the Diploma in Social Care Management and she recently achieved her Masters in Business Administration.

Lorraine was a member of the ministerial working group who recently produced the guidance ‘Closing the Gaps’ which aims to progress recommendations on how to respond to the needs of people with co-occurring substance misuse and mental health problems including ARBD. New initiatives include mental health in the workplace and the needs of armed forces veterans who experience post combat mental health difficulties.

Lorraine’s presentation will cover: the Scottish context for alcohol use and culture, and how it relates directly to the Australian experience; government policy, changes and influence; accommodation and support models for people with ARBD in the UK; specialist service design and outcomes and SAMH’s organisational development as leading ARBD provider in UK.

Hugh Hill

Hugh qualified as an RMN in Paisley in 1986 and moved to the North West of England to take up a post in acute admissions. In 1988 he gained his CPN certificate in Liverpool and in the following year completed a Diploma in Counselling. Hugh worked closely with GP Fundholders as a CPN until his move to St. Helens as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in 1993. He led the CPN team in developing an integrated intensive care management team working with people with serious mental illness (SMI). During this period Hugh completed both Certificate and Diploma training on Psychosocial Interventions at Manchester University (Thorn Nurse Initiative). In 1995 Hugh moved to Stockport to lead and develop a fully integrated health and social services team focused almost exclusively on people with SMI before returning to Scotland in 1999 to join Ayrshire and Arran Health Board Commissioning Team. Whilst at the Health Board Hugh also had responsibilities for Mental Health, CHD/Stroke Services, Cancer Services, Sexual Health and Learning Disabilities. In 2001 Hugh completed his MBA and with a desire to return to mental health services joined SAMH in 2003 as their Director of Services and Strategy.

In his current post Hugh is responsible for the delivery of care and support services across 83 services spread throughout Scotland together with the strategic development and growth of the organisation’s service framework.

Dr Alice Rota-Bartelink

Dr Alice Rota-Bartelink has worked as an allied health practitioner across a wide range of services including the public, private and community health sectors. She held a 5-year position as lecturer at La Trobe University where she attained her PhD. She has been actively involved in both clinical and social research into age-related issues. Her work in homelessness began in 2001 when she joined Wintringham to undertake an international study investigating the antecedents to homelessness among the elderly and more recently, has successfully secured a major grant from The JO & JR Wicking Trust administered by ANZ Trustees to design and trial a model of care for older people with advanced ABI.